Improvement in tram-ways for turnpikes



JOHN M.'JOHNSTON Improvement in'Tramways for Turnpikes.

No, 125,304, 7 Patented Apr il2,1872'.

mummy mum] HIHHUIIIIII *llllllllllllmw \vu mvem UNITED STATES JOHN M. JOHNSTON, OF MT. VERNON, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRAM-WA\fS FOR TURNPIKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,304, dated April 2, 1872.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. JOHNSTON, of Mt. Vernon, in the county of Macomb and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in-Tranl-Way for Turnpikes and Hi ghwa ys; and I do declare that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon and being a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a cross-section of my tram-way; and Fig. 2, a perspective view of the same, with a portion of the ballast removed.

Like letters indicate like parts in each figure.

The nature of this invention relates to the construction of a cheap tram-way for turnpikes' and highways, and intended for the use of wagons and other vehicles drawn by animal power; and it consists in the employment of a reversible rail of a peculiar section, in connection with a wooden superstructure, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, A A represent longitudinal sills of timber, of uniform length, laid in trenches made in the road-bed. B are cross-sleepers laid across the ends of each pair of sills, which abut against them, and may be halved on the ends of the cross-sleepers or not, as preferred.

O are string-pieces, their upper surfaces molded or shaped to receive the rails D, as,

shown, laid on and spiked to the sills A, but breaking joints with them-that is to say, that the cross-ties and ends of the sills come under the middle of the string-pieces. The rails D are rolled of the peculiar offset section dle of the rail forms a flange to guide and keep the wheels of the vehicles on the track.

The advantages of such a tram-way on hi ghways are, first, a light first cost, owing, chiefly, to the light section of iron required, and its durability and facility of turning the rails when worn second, the capacity of hauling.

flush with or a little below the outer part of the rails, no difficulty will be found in having the vehicles track, it being, of course, understood that the gauge of the vehicles is uniform with that of the tram-way; nor will any difiiculty be found in turning off the track to pass a vehicle, as the flange of the rail is but slight, and its face sloped or inclined.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The reversible rail D, constructed, arranged, and operated substantially as described and shown, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the reversible rails D and correspondingly-shaped string-pieces O, the longitudinal sills A and cross-ties B, all constructed, arranged, and operated substantially as described and shown, and for the purpose set forth. 7 JOHN M. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses A D. O. GRUM, G. F. MALLARY. 

